Skinny Boys and Freak Girls
by Summer Leigh Wind
Summary: Swallowing, Severus nods. "I'll put in a good word for you," he murmurs. One-Shot. AU.


**_Skinny Boys and Freak Girls_**

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They're thirteen and hiding out in their favorite place under the slide in the park; scaring off any respectable child that may chance wander their way. It's not hot, but the suns shines brightly for once and it's Lily that decided that they should crouch under the slide. If Severus had the choice, he would have chosen the swings, but Lily's covered every inch of her arms and legs today and he knows what that means. So, he sucks it up and pretends he's not shivering when the redhead looks away to scowl at something in the far distance.**  
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Poking little twigs mindlessly into the dirt, Severus for the first time looks fully at Lily; drawing her attention back to him when she feels his that his gaze isn't wavering. There's a darkness around her eyes that not even 'tuney's cover-up can hide and a weariness to that tragically beautiful green that not for the first time, makes the skinny boy wants to trace the girl's eyes. Frowning in agitation as he continues to stare with silent scrutiny, Lily crosses her arms over her blooming breasts with a self-consciousness he hasn't seen since Petunia's began to grow before they went to Hogwarts.

"What is it Sev?" She demands with a harshness that makes the boy's heart pick up a notch.

"When did he stop bothering 'tuney?" He blurts, knowing very well what the answer is.

The girl scowls. "When she got her period, you know that," she grumbles. Carefully shifting her body wait, she curls a lank strand of fire-red behind the shell of her ear. "Now, what do you really have to say Severus?"

Sighing, the boy lets go of the stick he was toying with and smooths the wrinkles from his mother's old blouse. "I-" he pauses and licks his chapped lips. "They asked me if I was to join the lord's followers upon coming of age," he whispers.

Lily pulls an incredulous look. "Why? You're only a half-blood, I thought they were for _purity _and all that shite." She says this almost bitterly and Severus flinches, hating the reminder of how he failed her.

He'd told her, told her Hogwarts was as magical as the people who resided there; a place where all was good and wonderful, a place where they could forget their worries. A place where it would _stop. _He'd been wrong of course and he'll admit that it stung, (but why? He's always wrong). To have it thrown back in his face by his only friend in the world hurt a lot more than he could take; so he countered with a viciousness usually only reserved for that gang of Marauders from school. "They _are, _but, you see, at least I'm not a _filthy mudblood_." He hisses at her so menacingly she blinks.

A moment later she grins, no sneers, "Ah, finally showing our true colors huh? Guess you were always a snake in sheep's clothing after all!" She makes to get up, but with more terror than he's ever felt before-even when he was certain his father would _never stop, _Severus grabs her wrist.

"Don't." he chokes, "God, oh god, I didn't mean it! Just don't-I'm sorry, okay?" he apologizes in one slurred breath; nearly turning blue as she stands obscure in that too bright sun.

A moment later, she sits back down and twirls a lock of red around her pale finger. "A decent bloke doesn't insult his _friends, _Severus," she utters.

Ashamed, the skinny boy wraps his arms around himself. "Yeah," he murmurs, "I know."

Theirs a bit of scuffling and then he feels Lily's warm head against his sharp shoulder. "I don't trust anyone like I trust you Sev," she whispers into his shoulder; hot liquid burning him through his thread-bare shirt.

Swallowing down hard, the boy fiercely declares, "And I you!"

Her hands come and grip his arm, her nail digging in with a vindictiveness freakish for a girl of her age. "Then do _not _insult me so," she warns in something akin to a growl.

Centimeter by centimeter, Severus shifts so he can push Lily's wild mane behind her ears; ignoring how she stills at his touch. "I won't do it again," he swears seriously. "I shan't."

They stay like that a long time, Severus and Lily. Lily and Severus. A skinny boy and freak girl curled beneath the rusted side of a slide at a children's park; after a time, the redhead pulls herself up right. Eye piercing, she gazes into fathomless darkness and asks, "Are you going to follow Voldemort?"

Running his tongue over his lips, the dark-haired youth doesn't answer right away. "I don't know," he eventually replies.

Toying with his sleeve, the girl suggests "Maybe you should."

Astounded, the boy frowns. "I thought you disliked their prejudiced views."

She hums. "The way I see it is, you can either grow up to be your father or your mother...who would you rather be Sev?" At his turmoil, she whispers, "I'd rather be my father; mother is a disgusting, passive waste...father, dear daddy, is a monster, yet he's a successful one, no?"

Swallowing, Severus nods. "I'll put in a good word for you," he murmurs.

Ethereal laughter bubbles up from the girl and soon, the boy joins her. It's funny to them, it's funny to even pretend that someday they'll ever have sway in the world; unbelievable even. Yet, neither sees the future.

Someday, not too far away, they will be on opposite sides of the coin; one their mother and the other their father. Fighting out a battle they never witnessed in their homes (but was always in the undercurrent).

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**A short One-Shot, who do you think became their mother and who became their father? This is obviously a rather dark AU, but, I'm curious what do you think of Lily and Severus's relationship?**

**Thank you for reading and I hope you'll choose to review.**


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